Mobile-phone terminal, and high-frequency multiplexing and switching system

Abstract

A mobile-phone terminal is provided by including a switching unit for selectively connecting, compliant with several communication systems, a plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals to an antenna, and a high frequency control unit for controlling the switching unit. The switching unit includes switching devices configured to perform ON/OFF operations of respective signal paths, and a logic circuit for generating switching control signals for the switching devices and ON/OFF control signals for controlling power amplifiers. The power amplifiers are controlled not directly by the high frequency control unit, but by way of the switching unit for switching the signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals.

1 . A mobile-phone terminal, comprising:
 an antenna;   a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals to the antenna, the first plurality of signal paths being compliant with a second plurality of communication systems;   a high frequency control unit configured to perform a switching control of the switching unit; and   a third plurality of power amplifiers configured to perform a power amplification of the high frequency transmission and reception signals compliant with the second plurality of communication systems, wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching means for performing ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths, and 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile-phone terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a part of the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means is shared as ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile-phone terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the logic circuit is configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate independent power amplifier control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers; and   the switching unit further includes a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers, the fifth plurality of logic gates being configured to generate logical product outputs as ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers, the logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals outputted from the logic circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile-phone terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the switching unit further includes a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers, the fifth plurality of logic gates being configured to generate logical product outputs as ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers, the logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit.   
     
     
         5 . The mobile-phone terminal according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4 , wherein
 a high frequency transmission path and a high frequency reception path are connected to one single switch by way of a duplexer for a communication system carrying out a transmission and a reception simultaneously.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile-phone terminal according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , or  5 , wherein
 the switching unit further includes voltage conversion means for raising a control voltage of at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means, and the logic circuit is configured to increase a control voltage of the at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means with the voltage conversion means only during a period of transmission of at least one of the second plurality of communication systems.   
     
     
         7 . A high-frequency multiplexing system, comprising:
 a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals, the first plurality of signal paths being compliant with a second plurality of communication systems; and   a high frequency control unit configured to perform a switching control of the switching unit, wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching means for performing ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths, and 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers for performing a power amplification of high-frequency transmission signals. 
   
     
     
         8 . The high-frequency multiplexing system according to  claim 7 , wherein
 a part of the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means is shared as ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers.   
     
     
         9 . The high-frequency multiplexing system according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the logic circuit is configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate independent power amplifier control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers; and   the switching unit further includes a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers, the fifth plurality of logic gates being configured to generate logical product outputs as the ON/OFF control signals, the logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals outputted from the logic circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The high-frequency multiplexing system according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the switching unit further includes a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers, the fifth plurality of logic gates being configured to generate logical product outputs as ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers, the logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit.   
     
     
         11 . The high-frequency multiplexing system according to  claim 7 ,  8 ,  9 , or  10 , further comprising:
 a voltage conversion means for raising a control voltage of at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means, wherein   the logic circuit is configured to increase a control voltage of the at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means with the voltage conversion means only during a period of transmission of at least one of the second plurality of communication systems.   
     
     
         12 . A high-frequency switching system, comprising:
 a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals, the first plurality of signal paths being compliant with a second plurality of communication systems; wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching means for performing ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths; 
 a sixth plurality of control input terminals for receiving a seventh plurality of control signals from an exterior; 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to the seventh plurality of control signals, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers for performing a power amplification of high-frequency transmission signals; and 
 an eighth plurality of output terminals for outputting the ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers. 
   
     
     
         13 . The high-frequency switching system according to  claim 12 , wherein
 a part of the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means is shared as ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers.   
     
     
         14 . The high-frequency switching system according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers;   wherein   the logic circuit is configured, in response to the seventh plurality of control signals from an exterior, to generate independent power amplifier control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers; and   the fifth plurality of logic gates are configured to generate logical product outputs as the ON/OFF control signals, the logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals outputted from the logic circuit.   
     
     
         15 . The high-frequency switching system according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a fifth plurality of logic gates for generating ON/OFF control signals for controlling at least one of the third plurality of power amplifiers; and   a control input terminal for receiving a power amplifier control signal from an exterior;   wherein   the fifth plurality of logic gates are configured to generate logical product outputs as ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers, logical product outputs being derived from the switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching means and the power amplifier control signals received from the exterior.   
     
     
         16 . The high-frequency switching system according to  claim 12 ,  13 ,  14 , or  15 , further comprising:
 a voltage conversion means for raising a control voltage of at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means; wherein   the logic circuit is configured to increase a control voltage of the at least one of the fourth plurality of switching means with the voltage conversion means only during a period of transmission of at least one of the second plurality of communication systems.   
     
     
         17 . A mobile-phone terminal, comprising:
 an antenna;   a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals to the antenna, the first plurality of signal paths being compliant with a second plurality of communication systems;   a high frequency control unit configured to perform a switching control of the switching unit; and   a third plurality of power amplifiers configured to perform a power amplification of the high frequency transmission and reception signals corresponding to the second plurality of communication systems, wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching devices configured to perform ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths, and 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching devices and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers. 
   
     
     
         18 . A high-frequency multiplexing system, comprising:
 a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals, the first plurality of signal paths being compliant with a second plurality of communication systems; and   a high frequency control unit configured to perform a switching control of the switching unit; wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching devices configured to perform ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths, and 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to control signals outputted from the high frequency control unit, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching devices and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers for performing a power amplification of high-frequency transmission signals. 
   
     
     
         19 . A high-frequency switching system, comprising:
 a switching unit configured to switch for selectively connecting a first plurality of signal paths of high frequency transmission and reception signals, the first plurality of signal paths being in accordance to a second plurality of communication systems; wherein   the switching unit includes
 a fourth plurality of switching devices configured to perform ON/OFF operations of each of the signal paths; 
 a sixth plurality of control input terminals for receiving a seventh plurality of control signals from an exterior; 
 a logic circuit configured, in response to the seventh plurality of control signals, to generate switching control signals for switching the fourth plurality of switching devices and ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers for performing a power amplification of high-frequency transmission signals; and 
 an eighth plurality of output terminals for outputting the ON/OFF control signals for controlling the third plurality of power amplifiers.